Read the Bible

¹ Hear this, all peoples; Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, ² Both low and high, Rich and poor together. ³ My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding. ⁴ I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp. ⁵ Why should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

⁶ Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches, ⁷ None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him-- ⁸ For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever-- ⁹ That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit. ¹⁰ For he sees wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, And leave their wealth to others. ¹¹ Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, [fn] Their dwelling places to all generations;They call their lands after their own names. ¹² Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; [fn] He is like the beasts that perish. ¹³ This is the way of those who are foolish, And of their posterity who approve their sayings.Selah ¹⁴ Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.

¹⁵ But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me.Selah ¹⁶ Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased; ¹⁷ For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him. ¹⁸ Though while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself), ¹⁹ He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see light. ²⁰ A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.